1. Field of the Invention
The invention concerns an apparatus for separating individual sausages, which are connected together by connecting portions to form a string, the apparatus comprising a conveying system for conveying the sausage string along a conveying path, a cutting apparatus arranged in the area of the conveying path and a sensor device for detecting the positions of the connecting portions between adjacent sausages and controlling the cutting apparatus as a function of these positions.
The sausage string, which is the starting product for this apparatus, is the result of conventional production processes for sausages. The sausage string is formed of a skin, in which sausage meat is progressively stuffed in portions with a specialised filling device. These portions are then separated from one another by twisting the skin or with clips or the like to produce a string of sausages, from which individual sausages must be separated.
2. Prior Art
Separating devices of this kind with diverse designs are known. For example an apparatus is disclosed in DE 43 07 637 C2 with which the sausage string is supplied to a stationary cutting apparatus which is arranged upstream of a further conveyor for carrying away the individual sausages. The cutting apparatus comprises a time-controlled rotating knife having two sickle-shaped blades. The timing of the knife is controlled by a process controller as a function of signals generated by a single light detector.
A further apparatus known from DE 35 35 960 C1 includes a conveying device for advancing a sausage string along the conveying path of a cutting device. The cutting device is controlled by means of a sensor device which scans the connecting portions between adjacent sausages and consists of two scanning arrangements arranged offset from one another along the conveying path. The cutting device is activated when both scanning arrangements register a lack of material.
With separating devices of this kind it is essential that the sausages are separated reliably in the region of the connecting portions when operating with high throughput. This result must also be obtained when the connecting portions are short or asymmetric, as is often the case when natural skin is used, which increases the risk of the sausages being damaged during cutting.
This requirement is not satisfied by conventional devices because the position of the connecting portions cannot be determined with certainty, particularly when the sausage ends are of irregular shape.